Radio telephones typically have programmable memory for storing configuration information. Among other things the configuration information typically includes:
1. user-defined information--for instance a list of telephone numbers for speed dialling, and preference data defining the user's preferred settings of the telephone's features; and PA1 2. telephone identification information--for instance the telephone's ESN (electronic serial number), telephone number, A-key and other security information for identifying the telephone to the network.
If the telephone breaks down and the user sends it for repair it is desirable for him to be provided with a replacement telephone. Ideally this replacement telephone should be configured in a similar way to the telephone that it replaces--it should have the user's speed dialling information and preferences and it should present to the network an identity that allows the user to continue to make and receive calls as before.
Prior solutions have had numerous disadvantages. One solution has been to use a computer of the type used for programming the telephone originally. This typically has a keyboard and monitor and an interface for connection to the telephone. The faulty telephone can be connected to the computer. Then software in the computer can be used to read the configuration information in the telephone and store it in the computer. Then the replacement telephone can be connected to the computer and the configuration information copied to it from the computer's memory. This solution has the disadvantages that the equipment is typically expensive and difficult to use. Also the system has important security risks: the computer could be used to fraudulently give more than one telephone the same configuration as the faulty telephone by copying the stored configuration information to a number of other telephones. Therefore, it may not be desirable to issue such computers to dealers.
Another solution (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,132) has been to provide the telephone with software which allows it to copy its configuration to another telephone that may be connected to it. This solution is not applicable to existing telephones that have not been provided with that software.